It is often the case that independent units, such as hard disk units, are mounted in personal computers and other electronic devices. Such a unit functions when mounted on the chassis of the electronic device and then connected with wire. Specifically, in the chassis of the electronic device, a space is preliminarily provided for mounting the unit. After placed in the space, the unit is then connected to other components of the electronic device with wire.
An independent unit, such as a hard disk unit, generally has a flat rectangular solid shape, and a pair of rail members for engaging with the lateral sides of the unit and also engaging with a slot, which is formed in the chassis of the electronic device, is often used in order to facilitate insertion of the unit into the slot where the unit is fixed in position.
The paired rail members are not part of the unit and are discrete components, and are attached to both lateral sides of the unit when the unit is mounted on the chassis or frame of the electronic device. After the rail members are attached, the unit is inserted into the slot of the chassis while the rail members and the unit are being supported. At this point, the rail members attached to the sides of the unit engage with rail channels formed on the lateral sides of the chassis so as to fit into the rail channels. In this manner, the unit is supported on the chassis by the rail members. A projection protruding outward is provided at an end of each rail member, and these projections fit into openings formed on the lateral sides of the chassis, whereby the rail members and the unit are fixed to the chassis in an integrated manner.
The unit needs to be taken out, for example, when it is replaced. To take out the unit from the chassis, the engagement of the projections and openings is released. In this manner, the unit is pulled out from the chassis together with the rail members. In order to disengage the projections of the rail members from the openings on the chassis, the ends of the respective rail members on which the projections are provided are elastically deformed inward. Then, the rail members are pulled so as to be displaced in relation to the chassis. The rail members are further pulled until the unit is finally pulled out from the chassis together with the rail members.
The rail members described above are separately supplied from the unit by, for example, a manufacturer or a distributor of the unit. Since allowing easy attachment/detachment of the unit to/from the chassis of the electronic device, the rail members are widely accepted in the market place.
According to a unit support mechanism by which the unit is supported on the chassis in a detachable manner using the conventional rail members, the rail members are attached to the sides of the unit in a simplified manner, and hence it is necessary to support and hold the paired rail members together with the unit at the time of attaching/detaching the unit. Thus, a person attaching/detaching the unit inevitably uses both hands to support the unit. In the case of mounting the unit, the unit can be inserted into the chassis by pushing the unit once the rail members enter the chassis to some extent. However, in the case of pulling out the unit, the person has to, while putting his/her both hands on the rail members, elastically deform the rail members by pushing the ends of the rail members sideways and pull out the unit with the projections of the rail members disengaged from the openings of the chassis. In this case, a relatively large space needs to be provided in the chassis where the unit is mounted so that the person can put his/her hands in. For example, if the unit is disposed in a deep and narrow place within the electronic device, the person cannot support the unit and the rail members with two hands, and thus, it is difficult to take out the unit. Therefore, a space needs to be provided where the unit is to be disposed, and thus wasted space is generated. Also, the unit is allowed to be disposed only where the space can be provided, which imposes restrictions on the design. In addition, since both hands are needed to detach the unit, the person cannot hold anything else in his/her hands when detaching the unit, thus causing problems in workability.
Given these factors, a unit support member allowing the unit to be attached/detached with one hand is proposed, and the unit support member is provided by integrally forming the left and right rail members and a handle connecting these rail members (for example, see Non-patent Document 1). The unit support member is made by plastic molding the rail members and the handle together, and a relatively large mold is required in the molding process, which leads to an increase in production cost. In addition, the handle connecting the paired rail members is made of plastic and formed, for example, by injection molding. Accordingly, the handle is relatively large in thickness, and hence, although being flexible to some degree, the handle cannot be readily bent. Consequently, wires led from the unit cannot be positioned along where the handle extends, and thus, the handle imposes restrictions on the wiring design. In addition to the rail members and the handle being integrally formed by plastic molding, another component for connecting the paired rail members, besides the handle, is also provided. Because of this structure, the width between the two rail members cannot be changed. As a result, the unit support member becomes specific to each model of such a unit, thus lacking versatility.
[Non-patent Document 1] Lenovo Japan, “Paso-con tool-less kyotai de jikan to cost no sakugen ni koken (Contribution to a reduction in time and cost with personal computer tool-less chassis)”, retrieved on Aug. 14, 2006, retrieved from the Internet <URL: www-06. ibm.com/jp/pc/tcs50us/detail2.shtml>